October 2010

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CambrianDirtBike-TraxsRd1 of the ProClean

Winter SeriesMidwestDerek Bawn

wins

MercianHandyPandy

True GritHelmets

swapped for snorkels

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Harry hails at Butts

Dirtbike-Traxs returned to Butts Quarry in Ashover Derbyshire for round 1 of the Pro-Clean sponsored Winter Series.

The team spent the previous week altering the course, to ensure the riders had a fresh new track layout to the normal run of the mill Butts ride. Also included were a couple of tyre sections, with the odd log and rocks thrown in for good measures. All made for some fantastic viewing for the mass of spectators who turned out to see the action.Throughout the few days building up to the event, the weather had been very kind, with some fantastic sunny spells, which ensured the track was in tip top condition. Come race day, the travelling crowds were met with thick fog on the way into the venue, but miraculously the quarry itself was totally clear of the thick stuff, which allowed the team to stick to the advertised start times, with the Youth classes leading the way at 09:30 am sharp.

Hot off the line for the Senior Bs was DBT regular Billy Steinman, earning him a slice of the hole-shot prize fund, kindly donated by Nigel the land owner. Hot on his heels

around the first lap was Daniel Boan and Jack Fewings. By lap 3 the positioned had changed and it was George Price who settled into a rhythm, consistently clocking in sub 9 minute laps. There was no catching George and by the end of the race he had notched up 11 laps, which was a full lap ahead of second placed rider Daniel Boan and third place Doltan Shannon.

In the Junior class it was Tommy Grimmer who landed the hole-shot and also came in with a convincing win, with a whopping 8 laps. Second place went to Reece Pickersgill with 6 laps and third place went to Oliver Dougherty with 5 laps.

With the Youth race complete without any incidents, it was the turn of the adult riders to get to grips around the re-designed course and the crowds were waiting in anticipation to see how the riders would fair tackling the new extreme route, with an advertised time saving of 30 seconds, it tempted the vast majority to try it at least once.

The Experts were set off first and it was Eurotek rider Tom Healey, fresh from his top ten finish at Weston who led the way through the first corner. Harry Hillas was also on a mission today and it took him less than a lap to pass Tom and establish himself as the race leader. For the next few laps the pair battled hard and clocked in some awesome sub 8 minute laps. Harry's technique over the technical sections was a pleasure to watch and it was here that Tom was to lose precious time after coming a cropper over the tricky tyres. Harry proved uncatchable and thoroughly deserved his race win, finishing a lap up on Tom in second place. Summer series winner David Wilson was challenging for the third place spot and his pit crew thought it was all over when he came flying past with a flat rear tyre and with about 20 minutes left nobody would have had money on him finishing. Not even the extreme section could phase him though, as he skipped over the large tyres as if nothing was wrong to claim the third place. A few of the local boys turned out in the Expert class, the Holland brothers, Lee and Tom who finished a credible 4th

and 5th respectively and Steve Newbold had a run out in the Expert class on Paul Packham's old XR and finished 6th with a bone crunching 16 laps on the old battle horse.

In the over 40s class the battle for 1st and 2nd was a fantastic tussle between two regulars, Mick Rayson and Howard Blundell. At the end of the 2 and half hours there was a mere 11 seconds separating the pair, but it was Mick who managed to gain the edge after a gruelling 17 laps and claim the first spot, along with the hole-shot prize, leaving Howard to settle for second. In third place was Paul Westgarth also on 17 laps.

The race of the day had to be in the Clubman class. A total of seven riders fought hard for the three podium spots and there was only 4 minutes separating them at the end of the race, all seven coming in with 17 laps under their belts. Lee Stansfield lead the charge claiming the hole-shot, but it was DBT new comer, Sam Alderman who crossed the finish line in first, 47 seconds ahead of another DBT first timer, Aaron Edwards. In third was Chris Coolson, who narrowly pipped Rob Pearce to the post after some terrific riding around the various sections.

With a large Sportsman entry, the decision was made to split the group into the normal E1 and Open class and it was the E1 class that was the next to please the crowds with some very brave attempts over the tyres. As the time went on and exhaustion began to set in there seemed to be a regular supply of entertainment as riders continually battered their front wheels against the tyres and logs and found themselves staring up at the skies. DBT regular Jay McGarry provided a few minutes of giggles as he persistently hammered away at one of the logs for what seemed like an age before a marshal put an end to his misery and helped him over.

In the Sportsman E1 class the ever improving Mike Gilby proved he is definitely one to watch for the future as the step up to the Sportsman class saw him steam to an emphatic victory with 17 laps, a full lap ahead of second place rival Andy Pulfrey. In third place was another improving DBT regular Matthew North.

The Sportsman Open class top three was dominated by three new comers to the DBT scene and the clear winner was Martin Kohv with 17 laps. In second place was Luke Thomas on 16 laps and Andrew Page clinched the third place spot.

A fantastic day was had by all, with not one injury in sight and the smiles on the faces of every rider made all the hard work by the regular helpers worthwhile. A massive thanks to everyone involved.

 Results

Experts 1 Harry Hillas 2. Tom Healey 3. David WilsonClubman 1. Sam Alderman 2. Aaron Edwards 3. Chris CoolsonOver 40s 1 Mick Rayson 2 Howard Blundell 3 Paul Westgarth Sportsman E1 1 Mike Gilby 2 Andy Pulfrey 3 Matthew North Sportsman Open 1 Martin Kohv 2 Luke Thomas 3 Andrew PageSenior B 1 George Price 2 Daniel Boam 3 Doltan ShannonJuniors 1 Tommy Grimmer 2 Reece Pickersgill 3 Oliver DoughertyDetails of the next round of the Winter series will posted on the Dirtbike-Traxs website very soon and for all those riders who have trophies to collect from the Putoline Summer Series, the presentation night is on Saturday 20th November at Dewsbury Rams Rugby Club, which is going to be a fab night for all details again on the website.

Report by Pete Botchett & Picture by Sonya Bewlay

ACU Forum - 31st October Report by Bob Mullins

The ACU held an Enduro Forum at Rugby on Saturday 30th October 2010. John Collins chaired the meeting alongside Trials and Enduro committee members Dave Willoghby, Alan Penny, John Lightfoot and committee secretary Mary Kerr. John welcomed everyone and thanked them for attending. 

The first item on the agenda was the British Enduro Championship. John Collins remarked that - despite the bad weather earlier in the year drenching Diss and causing the re-scheduling of the Melville - it had been a good series with 6 excellent events. The Vet Experts class had been a worthwhile experiment but it had divided opinion and the Vets would return to a sub division of the Clubman class. 

Dusty Martin anticipated the lack of riders present at the forum and took the precaution of eliciting some views via facebook in advance. Several riders expressed a desire for a single number they could be used all season. This coincided with the desire of the time keepers and standings co-ordinator to have a standard entry format. It was decided to develop a pre-season registration system for riders who intended to compete in the BEC as a whole. Vic Madeley asked that riders and scrutineers should be reminded of the number specifications and avoid the modern trend towards "can you guess what it is?" numbers. Several advantages to registration were considered but priority entry was dismissed because of the over-subscription to the Muntjac. 

The new Under 23 class had been a success and it was decided to look into the practicality of an Under 21 class in the Experts to encourage younger riders to move up. It was suggested that the time allowance should be dropped from an hour to 30 minutes to speed up the closing procedure but it was felt that this would be unfair on the clubmen who struggle to finish. When it was pointed out that in general it was the Experts that were last on the course it was decided to drop the Championship/Expert allowance to 30 minutes but to keep the hour allowance for the Clubman.

The team competition had another successful year and grew to 30 entries raising £600 for the ISDE but due to injuries several good teams struggled to find 3 riders so in 2011 the Team Competition will be for 2 man teams only. In 2010 noise became an issue and silencers were marked. Riders affected by the 10 minutes rule preferred not to take it and stay on their minute so it has been dropped in favour of noise tests on slack checks. The dates for the 2011 season were discuss. With the new Sprint series growing to 5 rounds and the ISDE in August it was a very tight calendar. There is a possible question mark over the Brechfa which may be affected by the construction of a windfarm in the area.

The contentious subject of dropping 2 days then came up. Mick Seward - despite a tough season - expressed the majority opinion that all rounds should count. Unfortunately with such a packed international calendar it has been decided that the 2 day rule would have to stand for 2011. As it is David Knight may have to miss 2 BEC rounds. Glen and Suzy representing the Mercian Dirt Bike Club asked if the committee could expand the Hare and Hound section of the handbook in line with the expansion in Hare and Hounds. The growing popularity of online entry payments were discuss and John Pullman from the NEEC commented that out of 100 entries at the White horse only 2 were by cheque.

The subject of youth was then discuss. Sadly there was little evidence of it in the room apart from the REME team. The ACU has dropped the age from Youth XC to 12 but with MX going down to 6 years of age was it time to bring XC in line. There was a reluctance to allow young people to compete on a course where they weren't visible at all times. Charlie McKenzie said in Scotland they organised Motoduros for the youngsters on an extended MX track but there was a worry that exposing children's bodies to a pounding would store up problems later in life. The room divided along who was a grandfather lines 

The new twin shock championship was discuss. Some clubs already run events for classic bikes over 25 years old but this includes some monoshocks like the Honda Prolink and the Yamaha IT series. The committee felt that the simpler twin shock definition would be easier for organisers to police. More consideration would be needed on the noise levels which were higher in that golden age.

The sale of forestry land looked like a possible threat until it was discovered that there was very little interest due to the open access policy. A bigger threat is Phytophtora ramorum - a disease endemic the Japanese Larch.   It could become the arboreal equivalent of foot & mouth. There was some discussion of an incident where a riders marking a course on Forestry Commission land with permission was cautioned for not having insurance. The 144 cc anomaly was left for another year.

The ISDE was then discuss. Dusty Martin, Dave May Miller and Sam Davidson all expressed the general view that it was a pity there was no British team in Mexico but there were sound reasons. John Collins said that the committee had looked into a proposal to host the 2013 ISDE in the UK as part of the ACU centenary but the current cost of half a million pounds made the idea unrealistic. John felt that there was an argument that the Olympics of Enduro - like the other Olympics - should cease to be an annual event. With licence revenue diminishing the ISDE is taking an increasing percentage of the ACU funds. Dusty said the ISDE was like the top of a pyramid to which every rider that formed the base could look up and aspire to. The forum ended at 4.30pm on a positive note with a proposal to fix a date soon to plan the British challenge on the 2011 ISDE in Finland.

British Sprint Enduro Championship welcomes Husqvarna as major new title sponsor

GMC Events, promoters and organisers of the ACU British Sprint Enduro Championship, are pleased to welcome Husqvarna Motorcycles as a major new sponsor to the series. Recently finalising a two-year agreement that will support the planned expansion of the championship, the series will officially become titled the Husqvarna ACU British Sprint Enduro Championship during ’11 and ’12.

The ’11 Husqvarna ACU British Sprint Enduro Championship will be a 10 round, five-weekend, series. Events will take place at three new venues, as well as returning to two of the popular circuits used during ‘10. The aim of the series will again be to deliver exciting racing for competitors, day-long spectator enjoyment, with all events enjoying a welcoming and sociable atmosphere. Revisions and additions to the class structure for ’11 will be announced in the coming weeks. Championship dates will be confirmed following the FIM Autumn Congress.

During ’10 the British Sprint Enduro Championship established itself as Europe’s first enduro sprint series. A six round championship with events staged in Gloucestershire, Dorset, and Powys, it attracted the cream of British enduro talent, as well as a healthy number of Expert and Clubman level riders all keen to try their hand at the exciting new discipline. Over 80 percent of the riders that competed in the opening two rounds of the series returned to participate in the entire series, indicating the popularity of this championship.

The championship also broke new ground in staging enduro events that encourage and consider the needs of spectators. With live timing, up to the minute information, and exciting racing action at the heart of all events, a friendly and welcoming atmosphere saw riders, teams, support crews, and the general public come together throughout the series.

Newly crowned Enduro 3 World Enduro Champion David Knight topped the prestigious BSEC Elite class in ‘10, having topped each of the six championship rounds. Robert Lynn, Aaron Poolman and David Grimshaw were the winners of the respective Expert ES1, ES2 and ES3 classes. In the ES1, ES2 and ES3 Under 23 classes Joe Deakin, Ollie Moyce and Daniel McCanney ended the championship as winners.

Jonty Edmunds – BSEC Events Director: ‘These are very exciting times for the British Sprint Enduro Championship and on behalf of the GMC Events team I’d like to extend our thanks to Husqvarna – we’re thrilled that they are joining the championship as title sponsor. The primary goal of the BSEC series remains to deliver exciting, well-organised sprint enduro events that all riders, support crews and spectators can enjoy. Finding commercial partners that share our vision and understand how we want to develop the series during the coming years is extremely important. Husqvarna’s support and association allows us to continue to expand and improve the BSEC series. Exact details of the ’11 Husqvarna ACU British Sprint Enduro Championship will be released in the coming weeks.’

Massimo Granata – Husqvarna: ‘We are very pleased to be able to support the British Sprint Enduro Championship as headline sponsor. The series has huge potential and offers riders and spectators alike a great weekend’s racing. We are in the process of relaunching Husqvarna in the UK and the association with the BSEC series is an integral part of our strategy to return Husqvarna to its rightful position as a major force in off road competition.’

John Collins –ACU Trials & Enduro Chairman: ‘The ACU is delighted that Husqvarna have pledged their support to the British Sprint Enduro Championship. Impressed with what GMC Events achieved during ’10, the ACU is sure that the series will go from strength to strength in the coming years. Many riders watched the BSEC series with interest this year, I can only imagine that there will be many more riders and teams wanting to join the series in ’11.’

2011 Husqvarna ACU British Sprint Enduro ChampionshipProvisional dates – TBC after FIM Autumn CongressRd1 Saturday, February 12 - Rd2 Sunday, February 13 - Rd3 Saturday, March 19 - Rd4 Sunday, March 20 - Rd 5 Saturday, April 30 - Rd6 Sunday, May 1 - Rd7 Saturday, May 28 - Rd8 Sunday, May 29 - Rd 9 Saturday, July 2 - Rd10 Sunday, July 3

Ride XC round 7 lazer XC Championship

Harry makes his day at Westwood!!! Ride XC returned to the outstanding Westwood venue near Barnsley for round 7 of the Lazer XC Championship. T he skilled track building crew plotted a superb route around the woodland, taking in the meandering stream and other challenging features that the woodland

has to offer. The result was over 10 minutes of exhilarating riding for the riders to enjoy. The weekend started on Saturday with a well attended Gas Gas enduro try out day organised by Roy Palmer at RAS Sport.

As dawn broke on Sunday with clear skies the Ride XC team were already in action with an 8.45am start for the youth riders. Starter Wilson had the riders briefed and away on time with the senior B riders leading the youth line up into the woods. Dan Bewlay was soon building a lead as he made short work of the youth course. Fighting his way through the field after starting last of the senior b group was Doltan Shannon. Dan bewlay took the win with Doltan Shannon second, and Tom Rial put in a great performance to claim third spot. Tommy Grimmer won the junior class from Lee Western. Sol Coburn normally the front runner in the juniors got lost and completed a full lap of the adult course!!!, before rejoining the youth course to battle back to third place.

Whilst the presentation was taking place for the youth race, starter Wilson was already briefing the adults with the do's and don'ts. Once again the slick Ride XC crew had made the course changes and were on schedule, with the Experts and Over 40's roaring away from the start line bang on 10:30 for the 2.5 hour race. All eyes were on race control to see who would be first back. It was the Biffstar on his new Sandiford Gas Gas 250. Ryan Staveley hit the front on lap 2 but by lap 3 the Biffstar was in front again. These two swapped the lead until Harry Hillas surged to the front on lap 7, a lead he would hold to the end. Ryan and the Biffstar exchanged places over the next few laps until the Biffstar upped the pace and broke clear. Harry Hillas took a well deserved win from the Biffstar and Ryan Staveley in third. In the 040's Anthony Crowe won by a narrow margin from John Bradford with John Lofthouse in third.

Barnoldswicks Billy Robinson showed grit and determination as he piloted his WR 125 Husqvarna to victory in the Clubman class from local lad Reece Emerson second and Lee Hatersley third. In the Sportsman class Kris Weston was the winner from Jon ward second. Mike 'the Spike' Gilby the youngest rider in the class and straight from the Senior b youth class, put in an amazing ride to finish in third place. Jade Gordon was the best lady rider finishing 14th overall the competitive sportsman class.

To round off the day it was the turn of the quad riders in a 2 hour race. This was won by the ever smiling David Baldwin on his Anderson ATV backed Suzuki, with Matt Alberti second. Glyn Jones took the Clubman win with Tom Claireaux 2nd. Tom managed to get tangled up in a tree on a steep downhill,l which cost him a lap in his struggle to free from it. In the Sportsman class Kieth Everitt won from Alec Ainsworth second with Ian Best third. The growing 4x4 class was won by Andrew Kelly with Tim Clark second both on their mighty Can am Renegades, and 3rd place went to Paul Taylor.

That drew a close to a great day of racing from the ride xc team. The feedback from the riders was excellent and with the numbers of riders steadily growing Ride XC looks set for a great 2011 As they put the finishing touches to a brand new XC Championship with new venues and some old favourites, dates and venues to be announced shortly. Ride XC is going to set new standards in the North of England. With big Sponsors and prizes, racing will never be so good!!! Thanks to all the marshals who helped make the event a success and Gary at pro clean for the product that every rider received.

Derrick Bawn wins @ Ditteridge6th round of Hewitt Cross Country Championship Report & photos by Martin Harding

Midwest's 6th round of Hewitt Cross Country Championship took place at Ditteridge near Bath on the 24th October. From the start, the course used a couple of stubble fields then went into a large steep grass field with slippery cambers that climbed into woods which had some extreme obstacles, logs and a rock sections. The climbs had hard and easy routes. With the sun and blue skies, the ground dried quickly after Saturday's rain.

The 3 hour race started at 11.00am with the expert class first away. Dave Nuttall took the hole shot closely followed by Arron Smith and Darren Wheeler with Derick Bawn close behind. The woods proved to be a challenge on the first lap before the best lines had developed. On the second lap Ollie Moyce appeared first with a good lead followed by Darren Wheeler, Arron Smith, Derick Bawn and Rich Warner. Ollie Moyce extended his lead riding his new Kawasaki before his clutch failed leaving Derek Bawn on a ktm to take the win. In second was Darren Wheeler on a Yamaha and young Arron Smith was 3rd on a Huseberg 250 2T. The top three all completed 21 laps. Jack Twentyman - in his distinctive yellow strip - was the Best Vet Expert with 20 laps ahead of Chris Brown and Triss Ball on 19 laps. George Bayliss won the Clubman 2T and Mark Hamblin was the runner up. With 20 laps each they will be looking forward to next season in the Experts. In the Clubman 4T class Freddie Davis was the winner from Jez Dance. The Vets award went to Terry Hoskins and Moe Godding was the runner up.

Results

Jason Thomas & Fred Andrews Racing score Husqvarna's 1st GNCC win 

Monster Energy/Fred Andrews Racing's Jason Thomas has delivered Husqvarna their 1st GNCC overall class win with a superb performance in the XC2 PRO-LITES at the final round of the season's Championship, The Amsoil 'Ironman', held at Crawfordsville, Indiana this weekend. Racing a fuel-injected Husqvarna TXC250F. Thomas fought a determined battle early in the race with the KTM's of Jesse Robinson & Stu Baylor, making the most of any opportunities he could find in the dry & dusty woods sections,& using the bike's rapid power delivery &

awesome handling to maximum effect around the wide-open corn fields. By the mid-point of the three-hour event, Jason had managed to open up a margin of advantage which he continued to expand upon during the final laps, picking off some XC1 competitors along the way. He ended the race in 6th place overall, a finish which earns him the GNCC number 8 plate for next season,& confirms his overall runner-up position in the XC2 class. On the 'Victory lane' podium, Jason expressed his thanks to his Monster Energy/F.A.R./Husqvarna team,to everyone else who has helped & supported him throughout this year's GNCC campaign,& to all the race-fans at every event who have given him their support & encouragement during this season.

‘10 US Endurocross, Rnd 5Fifth place finish for Taddy at Denver Endurocross Taddy Blazusiak's hopes of wrapping up the '10 US Endurocross championship at the penultimate round of the series in Denver were dealt a cruel blow as the KTM Enduro Factory Team racer was unable to place higher than fifth in the event's final due to a damaged front brake.

Hopeful of continuing his winning ways and securing the title prior to the championship's final event in Las Vegas at the end of November, Taddy posted a qualifying lap time nearly two seconds faster than any other rider before going on to top his heat race ahead of the main event. With the main event starting in the best possible way as the Polish ace as he claimed the holeshot Taddy soon ran into troubles as a damaged front brake system slowed his pace. Doing his best to remain in contention with the front-runners, Taddy dropped back to fifth - an impressive result considering he'd ridden the majority of the race with no front brake.

The sixth and final round of the US Endurocross series takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 20.

Taddy Blazusiak: 'Of course I'm disappointed that things didn't go the way I hoped they would, but that's racing. What happened to my front brake is just one of those things. Everything else went really well and my bike and riding was good. With Endurocross racing so many things can happen and having won the first four rounds of the series I guess it was my turn to have a small problem. It's not really a big deal, after all it's not like I got injured. It just means that I have to wait until the final round of the series in Las Vegas to try and win the title. Before I got my front brake problem I'd got the fastest lap time in qualifying and then won my heat race, I even got another holeshot in the main event. It could easily have been another perfect night, it just didn't quite work out that way.'

Results - Endurocross '10, Rnd 51. Geoff Aaron (Christini/KTM)2. Justin Soule (Kawasaki)3. Colton Haaker (Kawasaki)4. Kyle Redmond (Kawasaki)5. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM Enduro Factory Team)

Handy Pandy24th October Report & photos by Bob Mullins

Mercian Dirt Riders held the final round of their 2010 championship at Pandy near Abergavenny on Sunday 24th October. A week before the club had been laying out a course at Aberbeeg when they found the land was double booked. Unphased - the team moved to Pandy which was handy.

The weather was wet for the set up on Saturday and the overnight sky was frosty but the Sunday morning sky was clear and the Autumn sun soon warmed the ground. There was ample parking in the start field which had a great view of the monumental Skirrid mountain. The riders were all given transponders. Mark Jenkins was lucky that a marshal spotted he wasn't wearing his minutes before the start. The 2.5 hour race began at 11.00 am. Rhys

Davies took the holeshot from Kalem Hicks and Super Vet Phil Gardner was 3rd. Andrew Hill's Honda fell over in the Parc Ferme & flooded the motor. He was the last away. The 5 mile course weaved through a large coppice of hazel and oak before climbing to the top of the hill with it's spectacular view of the Welsh borders as far as the Malvern Hills. Stephen Price found his Husky 125 was a bit lively on the slippery climbs. John Brown retired when he lost his clutch. The course wasn't technically difficult but it was relentless with twists and turns at every corner. The dappled sunlight filtering through the trees also did it's best to camouflage the odd stump. Ross Clements took a detour into the trees. He buckled his bars and snapped a clutch lever but his pit crew got him running again. Mercian Dirt Riders take safety very seriously and there was plenty of ambulance cover. Fortunately there was little for the crews to do but enjoy the sunshine.

Kalem Hicks took the lead on the 2nd lap. Several month away has not undermined his ability. Kevin Wallace has won the Clubman championship in his first year with a round to spare and he was riding well in the Experts.  Rhys Davies re-took the lead and ran out the winner. Kalem Hicks was the runner up. Both riders completed 11 laps. With 3 firsts and 2 seconds, Rhys has accumulated 94 points and won the 2010 Mercian Dirt Riders Championship. Brian Collins was the best of the Super Vets with 10 laps. Terry Beecham was the runner up and Phil Gardner was 3rd. With 5 firsts Phil had already clinched the Super Vets Championship. Darren Williams won the Vets from Paul Mills and Mike Wells which is the same order they finished in the Championship. The Clubman 2t award went to Lee Curtis with Greg Hodge in 2nd and Jason Tillings 3rd. Dia Beer's 7th was his worst result of  the season but he had the consolation of knowing he had already secured the Championship. In the 4 strokes Keith Roden was the quickest from Daniel Helmes and Tom Kayes was 3rd. John Holland won the Sport 2t ahead of Lee and Richard Rossiter. Trevor Beck - with sponsorship from Coast2Coast - finished 6th to win the Sports 2T Championship and Coast2Coast owner Gordon Luxford followed Trevor home in 8th. The Sports 4T win and Championship went to David Wolfe ahead of Michael Crumb. Clark Castle on his 1979 KX 125 A5 had the twinshock class to himself but he squeezed every ounce of power out of the green machine to clock up 4 laps and win. Congratulations to 16 year old David Rickards in the Sportsman 2T class who clocked up 8 laps on an 04 GasGas 300 –

Photos - Provisional Results

Classic Cambrian16/17th October 2010

The Welsh Trail Riders had a picture postcard perfect weekend for their Cambrian 2 Day Rally near Lyn Brianne. Clear skies overnight created a frosty feel to the early morning light but a bright October sun soon spread it's warmth over the golden hues

of Mid Wales in Autumn. The start was at Soar Y Mynnydd and the 35 mile lap was ridden twice. There were 2 tests and they were timed on the second lap.

The first riders were away at 11.00am and they traveled North - across the Tregaron Road - and up the western side of the Tywi Forest along forestry tracks to the top of Strata Florida. Despite their challenge or because of it, the "water splashes" are an unforgettable feature of the Cambrian. For 10 kilometres the rocky track meanders back and forth across the Tywi River. It took a few prisoners. Brian Williams' immaculate 1976 Honda MR 250 picked up a holed crank. Marrianne Walford and Barbara Franks - the only sidecar entry - had a puncture. The appropriately named Cliff Fisher was one of several riders who had to fish their bikes out of the water but with a little spanner work and a lot of patience he was on his way in 5 minutes. Clerk of the Course Mike Corkery and his team bypassed the deepest crossings with some spectacular loops around Nant y Stalwyn. The course then climbed towards the Devil's Staircase and traveled south through the Nant-yr-Hwch forest to the two official tests. Nant-yr-Hwch has a fearsome reputation as the location of some very tough enduros in the past but WTRA kept to the firmer going although there was thrashing covered camber on the 2nd test that polished up nicely. There were several unofficial tests like avoiding 4x4s, ramblers and dumb spectators riding against the course. On lap 2 Craig Wiltshire was running very late or very early. Richard Hemmings had a long day out of the saddle riding a Honda TLR 200 trials bike on the pegs. At 3.00pm the first of the Experts crossed the finish line. 

Craig Bounds was the Trails Bike class winner on his Clarkes BMW Cross Challenge 650 and he finished 3rd overall. Bob Creedy on a CCM Dualsport 644 was the runner up and Gwyn Probert from Llandrindod Wells was 3rd on a Suzuki DRZ 400. Londoner Robert Relton did well to finish 4th on a mighty KTM Super Enduro 950 Adventourers. Alastair Brown from Brighton won the Sport Bike class and the overall on a KTM EXCF 250. Jonathan Williams was the runner up on a KTM 530 and Mark Heaven from Aberystwyth was 3rd. Out of the 122 starters there were only 6 retirements.

Day 2 The Indian Summer sun continued to shine. The course was reversed and the first riders were away at 9.00am. There were 3 laps and the tests were timed on lap 2 and 3. The first test was the tightest of the two and it favoured the Sports Bikes whilst the 2nd test was faster and balanced the advantage towards the bigger Trail Bikes. Craig Bounds won the Trail bike class with a 4th place overall. Gwyn Probert improved a place on Day 2 and Bob Creedy dropped back to 3rd. Jonathan Williams took the overall with a cracking 3rd test from Alastair Brown and Calvert Jones from Kilgetty was 3rd. Marianne Walford flashed the tube to fire up her KHR 650 outfit for the 2nd day and finished. Also congratulation to Trevor Baylis and David Clark who finished in the very exclusive Over 60s class.

WTRA has a reputation for flawless organisation and with the 2010 Cambrian Rally they once again confirmed that reputation From the grandeur of the landscape to the skill of the riders who negotiated it - everything about this event was impressive. Hopefully next year the calendar will allow more people to enjoy it. 

Results - Photos Enduro News Mike Davies Gary Jones Keith Davies

David Knight wins the 2010 RHL Weston Beach Race Results 

Once again for the third day running Weston Super Mare was graced with perfect sunny weather conditions for the 28th RHL Weston Beach Race. Sunday's action was started with the 85cc race; in front of a packed crowd the youngsters hit the sand to tackle the tiresome course. Young Todd Kellett led for the majority of the race put a mechanical problem forced him to pull out with only 20 minutes to go handing the lead to Ben Watson.

Ben managed to take the overall honours over the hour and a half race, his fourth win in the junior class at the Beach Race to date, he commented "It was a really good race I tried to ride as smooth as I possibly could without causing myself any problems. It was a bit of a problem because I had no front or back brake so I had to try and ride as steady as possible so not to cause any more damage. I'm really pleased to have taken the overall win as there were a few problems afterwards but they got it sorted out in the end which is great."

It was David Knight once again in the adult solo class that stole the show completely as he took a stunning fourth solo win on his factory KTM in the adult race lapping everyone on the field apart from second place finisher Jamie Lewis, he secured the win by 7:22:57 and completed 22 laps from top British Motocross star Jamie Lewis riding the Nigel Arnold PAR Homes Honda with PAR Homes youngster Luke Hawkins in third place.

Just under 500 solo riders took to the track at 1pm after being led down to the beach by RHL promoter Gareth Hockey. They were let loose onto the track just after 1pm and had three hours to tackle the four and a half mile course. David Knight as always meant business and shot out the gate early on and was eager to pull a lead in the opening stages. He was tackled by youngster Scott Elderfield who briefly took the lead for some of the opening lap. This was short lived when the man machine Knighter used the full power of his factory KTM down the straight on the second lap and pulled a 30 second lead on lap two from Jamie Lewis with Elderfield in third.

At the one hour stage David Knight had stretched his lead to 2 mins and 15 seconds from motocross racers Jamie Lewis, Shane Carless, Tom Church and Luke Hawkins. At the eight lap stage it was the Manxman Knighter still leading the pack from CCM Tom Church after Jamie Lewis stopped for fuel after lap seven.

At the half way stage, an hour and a half in it was still David Knight from Tom Church, Jamie Lewis, Shane Carless, Luke Hawkins, Danny McCanney, Aaron Poolman, Jamie McCanney, Rick De Feu and Joe Jones.

CCM rider Tom Church suffered a bike problem in the closing stages of the race having been in second position for the majority of the race. Church who was five minutes down on Knight went out at 2 hours and 36 minutes handing second place to Jamie Lewis. Knight at this stage had a 6.12.92 lead over Lewis and had lapped the majority of the field at least once.

The burley giant Knight further stretched his lead in the closing stages and dominated the field proving why he was a worthy World Champion and totally showed his form at the Beach Race wowing the massive crowd who had turned out on the day to watch the riders battling it out over the fierce course.

The final top ten consisted of three Manxmen with Knighter taking the win but also brothers Danny and Jamie McCanney taking a fantastic fifth and sixth place overall. The final top ten was David Knight, Jamie Lewis, Luke Hawkins, Aaron Poolman, Danny McCanney, Jamie McCanney, Rick De Feu, Joe Jones, Tom Healey and Nigel Kibble.

Top road racer on the day was Chris Walker in 11th place and Ty Kellett who made a stunning return after his crash last year finished in 38th place on his 125.

Jack Twentyman won the over 40's class, he said "It's my 48th Birthday today and the organisers gave me number 48 as my riding number, it was obviously lucky but a great birthday present which I'll no doubt be feeling for the next week! I would like to extend my thanks to Gareth Hockey and his team for coming back and running it again as it wouldn't be the same without it."

Josh Coppins suffered bike problems early on in the race in the opening lap, he said "I'm gutted as I really wanted to go back to New Zealand with a complete Weston under my belt, this was my third time and my second DNF and the race I did finish was cut short. The bike was suffering a misfire after the first lap, we managed to clear the problem but only briefly and I managed three more laps after that before I had to retire."

It was Luke Hawkins who was super impressive; the 16-year-old has never competed in the Beach Race before and finished in a fantastic third place. He said "I can't believe I finished on the podium the first time here I wasn't expecting that at all. I'd set myself a realistic target of top ten so to get on the box is unreal. I thought I would struggle with the time but I only really started to get tired in the final few laps. The track is unreal and I tried not to do anything stupid and just get my head down and get on with it. I really enjoyed the whole thing and pleased I got such a good result for all the people that have helped me this year, it's a good way to end the season."

Second placed man was Welshman Jamie Lewis, an emotional Jamie said "I'm a bit gutted not to have been able to push Knighter a little harder but he is an exceptional rider and rode very well today. I had a really good race, the track was mega and I managed to get a good start. I had gear box problems and I got stuck in fourth gear for the final few laps so I had to try and nurse her home without doing any more damage. It was a hard race and I hope I'm getting nearer and nearer to that win that I so desperately want."

32-year-old winner David Knight was over the moon with his fourth solo win saying "I can honestly say that's the first Beach Race I've had without any major bike problems. My KTM run so smooth it was just mega, I couldn't have asked for more from them. The smallest thing I had, was a dragging clutch for a bit but that seemed to sort itself out. It was mega fun out there, the weather was awesome and the track was great. I would like to thank Gareth Hockey and all involved for the work that they have put into this over the past year after the problems that they had last year, it can't have been easy but it was fantastic this year and pleased for him and his team. Hopefully I'll be back again next year to have another shot at it!"

RHL Promoter of the 2010 Weston Beach Race commented "This year was a big test for us and how we run the Beach Race. We couldn't have asked for better and I would just like to extend a huge thank you to all the people who have supported RHL over the past year, the riders, fans, marshals and everyone who has helped make this happen this year. I hope it has put a few things to rest and that everyone enjoyed themselves and had a good weekend and will come back in 2011. Thanks again."

Results 85 cc Class1 Ben Watson 2 Ben Howell 3 Jay Thomas KTM 4 Corie Southwood Suzuki 5 Tom Neal KTM 6 Robert Hales Kawasaki 7 Curtis Blamey Honda 8 Jack Mac KTM 9 Aaron O'Mahoney Honda 10 Ashley Bowden Honda

Adult Solo Results1. David Knight KTM 2. Jamie Lewis Honda 3. Luke Hawkins Honda 4. Aaron Poolman KTM 5. Daniel McCanney 6.Jamie McCanney 7. Rick De Feu Kawasaki 8. Joe Jones KTM 9. Tom Healey KTM 10.Nigel Kibble Honda

KTM release

Postscript Leighton "Onkey" Roberts finished 52nd and was "well chuffed".

Helmets swapped for Snorkels

As an unwritten rule for TGOR race reports, we usually avoid any mention of the weather conditions .. however .. on this occasion 'by god' didn't the heavens opened. Despite 48 hrs of almost continuous rain true grit off road were determined to prove Driffield xc can ride wet or dry .

And what a spectacle it made, 9 am sharp the 60 strong youth and Ladies class soon put the smiles back on their faces with some sideways action around the sweeping holeshot corner. Straight into the lead was Number 1 Billy Steinman closely followed by the mixing and changing senior B and Lady competitors. After a 1 minute interval the junior class pinned it down the straight.

The Holeshot went to Ben Turner closely followed by TGOR Leanne Field, Tommy Grimmer and Lee Watson, This proved to be a step up for the youths and ladies with the conditions rapidly deteriating, the likes of Toby flack and Izzy Skillin Battled on aboard there small autos for a finish with nothing but smiles and Reece Pickersgill showed some true potential for the future despite his unfortunate dnf , it has to be said the youths and ladies really deserved a well done they truly beat the challenge of the course. Ladies class was taken by Anita Gordon four minutes ahead of 2nd place Emily Schneider and Birthday girl Ellie Cook in 3rd. Senior B saw Robbie Dowson produce an impressive ride clinching 1st from Luke Cockburn 2nd and Billy Steinman 3rd the Juniors was lead from start to finish by Ben Turner with Tommy Grimmer 2nd and TGOR Leanne Field rounding off the podium. Brave award of the day goes to Dan Clarke after getting his finger stuck in the brake caliper causing a nasty cut get better soon mate!! Again well done Youths and Ladies!!

The 190 strong adult line up looked impressive on Gus Gorses professional start line set up and proved there was no such thing as just fair weather riders at TGOR, Experts and over 40 were first to be let loose for the wet and wild 2.5hrs with Tom Healey taking the Lead, followed by Craig Reynolds Alex Owen and Josh Bendall batteling for 2nd in to the woods, Tom led from start to finish showing he can produce the goods wet or dry , Manchester Extremes Craig had the battle of the day with Alex Owen , 2.5hrs of continuous swapping and changing with the eventual 2nd going 2 Craig , Clubman E1 was all about the young guns, won By Luke Gorse with a excellent ride on such a technical course just taking it with a equally impressive ride from Dirtbike-traxs Jordon Botchett in 2nd and Liam Edlestone 3rd . Clubman Open winner Ryan Patrick set the

fastest lap of the clubman with Matty Bell 2nd and Dean Johnson 3rd. Over 40s proved they still have what it takes with 1st Rob Heald 2nd Howard Blundell . Sportsman e1 Harry Eccles 1st Chris Perry 2nd and R bentham 3rd . Sportsman Open 1st Joe Wheeler 2nd George Stanley 3rd Ian Hayworth . Novice Ryan Bulman 1st Joe Moore 2nd and Darren Hart 3rd .Senior B was dominated by Michael Spike Gilby, Coby Wright 2nd and Callum Morewood 3rd.

A well done to all riders in 25 years TGOR have never experienced those conditions ,Pics by CH-Images